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PH testing czar rejects COVID-19 mass testing, backs 'targeted' screening

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/04/06/20210330-covid19-ovp-swab-cab-md-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents undergo COVID-19 rapid antigen test onboard the &quot;Swab Cab&quot;, a mobile COVID-19 testing facility launched by the Office of the Vice President, in Barangay Potrero in Malabon City on March 30, 2021. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA — An official leading the country&#x27;s COVID-19 response rejected Tuesday calls for mass testing during the lockdown in the Greater Manila area, and instead stood by &quot;targeted&quot; screening for the respiratory disease. </p><p>Experts are &quot;united&quot; in urging against the testing of the whole population, said Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19. </p><p>&quot;Ang very clear na sinasabi ng mga eksperto nga, dapat risk-based at targeted ang testing,&quot; he said in a press briefing. </p><p>&quot;Ibig sabihin noon, kailangan mayroong guidelines o merong nag-a-assess kung kailan ang isang tao ay dapat magpa-test. Hindi pupuwede na ang tao mismo ang magde-determine kung siya ay dapat magpa-test o hindi.&quot; </p><p>(The statement of experts is very clear, that testing should be risk-based and targeted. It means that there should be guidelines or someone assessing whether or not a person should get tested.)</p><p>People who should get screened are those who recently went to areas where COVID-19 cases are prevalent, and those who had close contact with people experiencing symptoms or who test positive for the novel coronavirus, said Dizon. </p><p>&quot;Ang problema kasi sa concept ng mass testing is... puwedeng ako mismo ang magdesisyon kung kailan ako dapat magpa-test. Ang sinasabi ng mga eksperto, dapat guided ang desisyon na &#x27;yon,&quot; he added. </p><p>(The problem with the concept of testing is that I can decide when I should get tested. Experts are saying that decision should be guided.)</p><div><strong>MASS TESTING RISK </strong></div><p>The accuracy of tests depends on one&#x27;s timeline of catching the disease. For instance, there is only a 33-percent probability of getting positive test results on the third day of sickness and 63 percent on the fifth day, said Dr. Edsel Salvaña, a member of the group that advises the COVID-19 task force. </p><p>&quot;Kaya po talaga because our tests are not perfect and are time-dependent, importante po talaga iyong timing noong testing at kung sino po iyong tini-test natin,&quot; he said in the same briefing. </p><p>(Because our tests are not perfect and are time-dependent, the timing and who we test are important.) </p><p>The Philippines runs about 52,000 tests a day, said Dizon. </p><p>Authorities gave the go-signal for the procurement of antigen test kits for 30,000 additional tests daily in the Greater Manila area and nearby Batangas and Pampanga provinces. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/27/21/health-expert-tony-leachon-proposes-mecq-metro-manila-ncr-plus-bubble-to-control-covid-19-surge">Government told to consider MECQ, beef up mass testing to slow down COVID-19 surge</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/no-mass-testing-in-philippines-says-doh-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases">No mass testing in Philippines, says DOH, amid surge in COVID-19 cases</a></li></ul><p>Metro Manila and surrounding Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces are under enhanced community quarantine, the toughest of 4 lockdown levels, until April 11. </p><div><strong>FREE TESTS</strong></div><p>Palace spokesman Harry Roque said state medical insurer PhilHealth covers the cost of RT-PCR tests for medical and economic frontliners, those who were exposed to COVID-19, and people with symptoms of the respiratory disease. </p><p>The coverage of COVID-19 tests is the &quot;single largest expenditure&quot; of PhilHealth, he said. </p><p>&quot;At most, ang babayaran n&#x27;yo po, P300... Hindi naman po tama na sabihin natin na hindi tayo nakapagbibigay ng libreng testing sa ating mga kababayan,&quot; he added. </p><p>(At most, you will pay P300. It is not correct for us to say that our compatriots are not given free testing.) </p><p>The Philippines has so far confirmed 803,398 coronavirus infections, of which 143,726 were active as of Monday. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/infographic/03/17/20/tracking-covid-19-cases-in-the-philippines">Tracking COVID-19 cases in the Philippines</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1655475" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar" style="text-align:center"><em>Video courtesy of PTV </em></div><div> </div>

<p>An official leading the country's COVID-19 response rejected Tuesday calls for mass testing during the lockdown in the Greater Manila area, and instead stood by "targeted" screening for the respiratory disease. </p>

An official leading the country's COVID-19 response rejected Tuesday calls for mass testing during the lockdown in the Greater Manila area, and instead stood by "targeted" screening for the respiratory disease.

PH testing czar rejects COVID-19 mass testing, backs 'targeted' screening

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PH testing czar rejects COVID-19 mass testing, backs 'targeted' screening

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 06, 2021 04:47 PM PHT

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